Affiliate Marketing: How to Connect with the Businesses You Market

This is a guest post by Kristie on Affiliate Marketing.You can read the guidelines for guest posting at our guest posting guidelines page.

Many affiliate marketers work from home or work in small offices where they only interact with other company employees. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and is really just a natural consequence of conducting business through the internet. However, there are some who would argue that a greater connection needs to be made between affiliate marketers and the businesses they promote.

If you work for an affiliate marketing company, or if you work independently, it may make good business sense to start creating deeper relationships with the institutions you advertise for. A deeper relationship will help make communication easier and streamline the exchange of marketing ideas and concerns. Having a personal connection also builds trust and a better understanding between both parties.

What are some good ways to create a connection? Due to the limitations of company policy and location, there are only a few ways affiliate marketers can get to know the companies they work for. This is actually a good thing, though, because it simplifies the process.

There are three online tools affiliate marketers can use to create relationships; regular email exchanges, Skype meetings and company newsletters.

Through regular email exchanges, marketers are given the opportunity to create a dialogue with the businesses they are representing. This keeps the door open in terms of idea exchange and question/answer discussions. In the end, regular email discussions decrease the number of misunderstandings and errors and leave a paper trail to back up your work and decisions.

Monthly Skype meetings give you the opportunity to actually meet some of the employees of the businesses you advertise for. This is truly the best way to create a connection, because everyone will be able to put a face to a name and see one another as actual human beings. Although this may sound cliché, there is no substitute for an old-fashioned face-to-face meeting. Skype is the perfect tool for meeting business partners in other locales and can actually bring more meaning to your job by creating a more tangible experience.

If the business allows, ask if you can be put on their mailing list to receive company newsletters. This will allow you to learn more about the company’s practices, services and financial goals. Justify your request by saying that the information will help you better understand the company and, therefore, aid you in promoting their services.

To promote your business relationships, find one point of contact that promises to be your go-to person for all questions and concerns. Also, create a newsletter of your own that can be disseminated to anyone interested in knowing about your marketing projects for the business.

Lastly, don’t forget to use old-fashioned cordiality when necessary. For example, if the business gives you a performance bonus, always send a handwritten thank you note and some sort of office-appropriate gift. If possible, send holiday cards to each company, as well, thanking them for their business and wishing them a happy new year.

These posts are submitted by our Guest Bloggers. We accept guest posts on topics that are relevant to our blog like blogging, internet entrepreneurship tutorials, affiliate marketing, social media etc. You can read more about how to submit guest posts by visiting our write-for-us page.